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Taye Diggs' Emotional New Role in 'Murder in the First' (WATCH)

By Adam Coppola 8:34 AM PDT, June 5, 2014

This summer, actor Taye Diggs (The Best Man Holiday, Private Practice) is taking on a complex new role in TNT's crime drama, Murder in the First, which follows a single case over the course of a season while setting the stage in San Francisco and the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley. Watch the video above for a glimpse at the show's intense drama.

In the 10-episode series, 43-year-old Taye Diggs plays SFPD homicide inspector Terry English, who's coping with his wife's terminal illness and is tasked with solving two murder cases that seem to involve wealthy tech genius Erich Blunt, played by Tom Felton (Harry Potter). Terry's partner, Hildy Mulligan (Kathleen Robertson), helps to uncover the mystery surrounding Blunt but must also tend to her own problems at home as a divorced single mother. Shot in both San Francisco and Los Angeles and created by Emmy-winning producer Steven Bochco (NYPD Blue, L.A. Law) and writer Eric Lodal, Murder in the First deeply explores the emotional aspects of the characters, a storytelling trait Bochco's been known for.

"I've never played a role that's as emotional as this, as far as a spouse passing on," Taye told ET during a break from filming on the L.A. set. "To integrate that into the life of a cop and the relationships that he (Terry) has is challenging."

Getting into their SFPD roles prior to filming had both Taye and co-star Kathleen Robertson doing real-world police training and going on ride-alongs with on-duty officers.

"They put us through a police camp where we all started from scratch," Taye explained. "We shot some guns and took down perps!"

This isn't the first role he's had that involved a firearm at his side. In The West Wing, he played a secret service agent and in the TV series Day Break he was a detective. For Taye, acting in this latest series, that's only 10 episodes long, has its creative advantages.

"Every actor wants to try different things, so it's a nice balance. During my third year into doing Shonda Rimes' shows (Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy) and after I don't know how many kissing and shirtless scenes, I was like 'I want to hold a gun again!' And luckily I was able to."

With each episode, Murder in the First will keep viewers guessing about who the killer is, as it did for most of the cast, since Bochco and Lodal managed to keep the full story a secret until the final days of filming.

Check out the video for a look at some of the action and mystery in the new series, also starring James Cromwell (Babe, L.A. Confidential), Ian Anthony Dale (Hawaii Five-0), Richard Schiff and Bess Rous.

Murder in the First premieres Monday, June 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on TNT.

What do you think of Taye's latest cop role and will you watch Murder in the First?